Suction nozzle

ABSTRACT

A vacuum system with a blower, a flexible hose connected to an intake opening and a discharge duct for transporting the materials to a collection zone has a suction nozzle mounted on the outer end of the flexible hose. The nozzle is formed by a cylindrical collar connected to the outer end of the flexible hose, a pick-up tube mounted within the collar so as to define an annular space therebetween and projecting forwardly from the forward end of the collar to an open circular mouth into which material to be picked up can be drawn to enter the pick-up tube to be transported by the hose to the blower for discharge to the collection zone.

This invention relates to a suction nozzle for a vacuum system.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Vacuum systems for transporting particulate materials are well known and widely used.

In one particular field, the vacuum system is used to provide a flexible hose which can be used to pick-up waste materials and transport those waste materials through an airstream and through the blower for discharge from the blower into a collection zone such as a bin or transport vehicle.

Vacuum systems designed for transporting high quantities of material such as grain often use an air lock system to separate the grain from the air stream so that the air stream can pass through a high efficiency pump before recollecting the grain on a downstream side of the pump for transportation to a discharge location. However this arrangement is very expensive and very complex.

Other simpler arrangements simply pass the materials through the blower, but of course such a blower cannot be a high efficiency pump since it does not provide the necessary type tolerances which are required since the materials must pass with the airstream through the blower and around the blades of the blower. Such arrangements therefore provide a reduced level of airstream and can therefore become relatively easily choked if the level of material to be carried that is picked up in the intake hose is too high.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is one object of the invention to provide a suction nozzle which assists in transfer of materials through a flexible suction hose for transport of those materials in the air flow.

The present invention thus provides a suction nozzle which can be used with any form of vacuum system. While the suction nozzle may be of advantage in many different types of vacuum system, it is primarily designed for and particularly useful in the heavy duty vacuum systems which are used to lift relatively large amounts of material in the airstream from the intake duct through the blower and into a collection zone.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a suction nozzle for a vacuum system comprising:

a cylindrical collar shaped and arranged for connection of a rearward end of the collar to an end of a flexible hose through which a vacuum can be drawn from a vacuum source, the collar being coaxial to the hose with a forward end of the collar located at or projecting forwardly from the end of the hose;

a pick-up tube mounted within the collar so as to define a space between an inside surface of the collar at the forward end and an outside surface of the pick up tube with the space surrounding the pick-up tube through which air is drawn;

the pick-up tube projecting forwardly from the forward end of the collar and having a forward end of the pick-up tube defining a mouth into which material to be picked up can be drawn to enter the pick-up tube to be transported by the hose to the vacuum source.

Preferably the pick-up tube has at least a portion thereof which is coaxial with the collar. However the portion may be offset to one side so that the pick up tube is within the collar but not coaxial.

Preferably the pick-up tube forms a straight cylindrical member which is coaxial with the collar so that it is a simple straight tube along its full length.

Preferably the pick-up tube is coaxial with the collar and both the pick-up tube and the collar are circular in cross-section so that the space is annular. However the collar and/or the pick-up tube may not be circular in cross-section and any other shape can be used.

Preferably the pick-up tube extends into the hose so that there is a length of overlap between the pick-up tube and the collar and the hose.

Preferably the collar and the pick-up tube are supported in relative position by a plurality of angularly spaced spacer members. However other supports can be used provided there is a space with sufficient rigidity of the components to maintain the space constant.

Preferably the space is of constant width around the pick-up tube, although it may be varied to provide an increase in the air flow into the space at required locations around the tube.

Preferably there is provided a handle for manual manipulation of the pick-up tube, the handle being arranged to support and move the pick-up tube, the end of the flexible hose and the collar attached thereto.

Preferably the handle is attached to the pick-up tube.

Preferably the handle is an elongate member with a grasping portion at an upper end which can be grasped to manoeuvre the pick-up tube, the end of the flexible hose and the collar attached to a lower end thereof over the ground.

Preferably the collar rests on the ground.

Preferably the mouth is formed at an angle to a radial plane of the axis of the pick-up tube.

Preferably the pick-up tube includes a portion projecting forwardly from the collar which has a length which is less than 18 inches and preferably less than 12 inches.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a vacuum system comprising:

a blower including a blower housing having an intake opening and a discharge opening with a rotor in the housing for transporting air and materials at the intake opening to the discharge opening;

a flexible hose having an inner end connected to the intake opening and an outer end;

a discharge duct connected to the discharge opening for transporting the materials to a collection zone;

and a suction nozzle mounted on the outer end of the flexible hose comprising:

a cylindrical collar connected to the outer end of the flexible hose, the collar being coaxial to the hose with a forward end of the collar located at or projecting forwardly from the end of the hose;

a pick-up tube mounted within the collar so as to define a space between an inside surface of the collar at the forward end and an outside surface of the pick up tube with the space surrounding the pick-up tube through which air is drawn;

the pick-up tube projecting forwardly from the forward end of the collar and having a forward end of the pick-up tube defining a mouth into which material to be picked up can be drawn to enter the pick-up tube to be transported by the hose to the blower for discharge to the collection zone.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

One embodiment of the invention will now be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a vacuum system including a suction nozzle according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the suction nozzle of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of the suction nozzle of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the suction nozzle of FIG. 1.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In FIG. 1 is shown a vacuum system generally indicated at 10 which includes a blower 11 having an intake hose 12 and a discharge duct 13 transporting materials to a container 14 in the form of a transport vehicle mounted on wheels 15. The blower 11 includes a housing 16 within which is mounted a fan or blower 17 rotatable in conventional manner within the housing. The hose 12 enters axially of the housing along the axis of the fan so that air is drawn into the center of the fan and expelled tangentially through the discharge duct 13 on one side of the housing.

Blowers of this type are well known and are commonly mounted on a transport vehicle so that the vacuum system can be used to clean up waste material such as garden remnants and leaves which are drawn in through the intake hose 12 and discharged into the discharge container 14 for transportation. The arrangement for mounting the blower on a suitable vehicle is not shown since this is well known to one skilled in the art.

The hose 12 is commonly a relatively large diameter hose of the order of 6 to 9 inches which can thus transport air and materials readily into the fan housing 16. The hose is a flexible hose of a type comprising a corrugated molded pipe made from a suitable plastics material so that it can be lifted and manipulated from place to place.

At the outer end 18 of the hose 12 is provided a suction nozzle 20 which forms the important new modification of the conventional vacuum system previously described. The nozzle 20 includes a pick-up tube 21, a collar 22 and a handle 23. These elements are connected together so that they can be attached to the end of the hose with the collar and the pick-up tube lying across the ground and the handle forming a stand up grasping and lifting element attached to the bottom 24 to the nozzle and providing a grasping handle element 25 at the upper end.

The collar 22 as best shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 forms a cylindrical portion of circular cross section and a length from a forward edge 22A to a rearward edge 22B sufficient to clamp the end of the hose 12. Thus the hose 12 includes one or more clamping elements 12A and 12B of the conventional hose clamp type which wraps around the hose and squeezes it onto the outside surface 22C of the collar 22 with the diameter of the collar being selected to match the hose in a clamping action as is well known. When clamped the hose extends to a position closely adjacent the front edge 22A so that the front edge 22A is coterminous with the end of the hose or projects slightly forwardly from the end of the hose.

The pick-up tube 21 is mounted coaxially within the collar 22 so that both the collar and the tube lie upon a common axis indicated at A. The pick-up tube 21 is of smaller diameter than the collar 22 so as to define therebetween a space 30 which is generally annular. The pick-up tube 21 has a rear edge 21A coincident with the rear edge 22B of the collar or alternatively slightly in front of that rear edge so that the space 30 is defined along a length of the collar between the outside surface of the pick-up tube and the inside surface of the collar.

The pick-up tube 21 extends to a forward edge 21B which defines a circular mouth 21C of the pick-up tube. Thus the pick-up tube is straight and lies along the axis A from its rear edge through to its front mouth 21B with the mouth 21B surrounding the axis A. The mouth 21B is formed at an angle B to a radial plane C so that the mouth 21C faces downwardly at an angle.

The length of the pick-up tube from the front face 22A of the collar to the mouth 21C is of the order of 9 to 18 inches which locates the mouth at a suitable position relative to the handle and relative to the hose.

The handle 23 is formed from a rod which is shaped at the upper end to form a suitable hand grasping portion in a manner well known to one skilled in the art. At the lower end the rod is bent to form a first attachment portion 23A and a second attachment portion 23B. Each of these portions is parallel to the axis A and each of these portions is attached to a respective one of the collar and the pick-up tube. Thus the portion 23B is attached to the collar and is welded thereto so as to support the collar at a suitable location. Similarly the portion 23B is welded to the pick-up tube and holes the pick-up tube relative to the collar thus defining the width of the space at the position of the handle and holding the collar and pick-up up tube against axial and radial movement. The handle is arranged at an angle D relative a line at right angles to the axis A such that the handle extends upwardly and rearwardly from the front face of the collar. In this way when the operator lifts the handle there is a tendency for the pick-up tube to tilt forwardly thus turning the mouth 21C down closer to the ground while the front end of the hose is lifted assisting in drawing material from the ground upwardly and rearwardly into the pick-up tube.

The pick-up tube is spaced from the collar at positions spaced angularly around the collar by spacer members 31 and 32. Thus the spacer members 31 and 32 are angularly spaced from the portion 23B of the handle so that the collar is held relative to the pick-up tube and vice versa at three positions around the space 30.

In practice the space 30 is of the order of 0.5 inches in relation to a tube of the order of 6 inches. This provides a relative area of the space 30 and the area of the mouth 21C so that the mouth is approximately 1.36 times larger than the area of the space 30.

In this way approximately 33% of the air drawn into the hose enters the hose through the space and approximately 66% enters through the mouth 21C. This provides additional airflow at a relatively high speed through the tube so that there is a significantly reduced tendency for the material picked up through the mouth to stall within the tube. As the space is annular and surrounds the pick-up tube, air flow surrounds the full area of the material that is being picked up and forms a stream around the inside surface of the wall of the hose thus assisting in carrying the material through the hose to the blower.

Since various modifications can be made in my invention as herein above described, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same made within the spirit and scope of the claims without department from such spirit and scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense. 

1. A suction nozzle for a vacuum system comprising: a cylindrical collar shaped and arranged for connection of a rearward end of the collar to an end of a flexible hose through which a vacuum can be drawn from a vacuum source, the collar being coaxial to the hose with a forward end of the collar located at or projecting forwardly from the end of the hose; a pick-up tube mounted within the collar so as to define a space between an inside surface of the collar at the forward end and an outside surface of the pick up tube with the space surrounding the pick-up tube through which air is drawn; the pick-up tube projecting forwardly from the forward end of the collar and having a forward end of the pick-up tube defining a mouth into which material to be picked up can be drawn to enter the pick-up tube to be transported by the hose to the vacuum source.
 2. The suction nozzle according to claim 1 wherein the pick-up tube has at least a portion thereof which is coaxial with the collar.
 3. The suction nozzle according to claim 1 wherein the pick-up tube forms a straight cylindrical member which is coaxial with the collar.
 4. The suction nozzle according to claim 1 wherein the pick-up tube is coaxial with the collar and both the pick-up tube and the collar are circular in cross-section so that the space is annular.
 5. The suction nozzle according to claim 1 wherein the pick-up tube extends into the hose.
 6. The suction nozzle according to claim 1 wherein the collar and the pick-up tube are supported in relative position by a plurality of angularly spaced spacer members.
 7. The suction nozzle according to claim 1 wherein the space is of constant width around the pick-up tube.
 8. The suction nozzle according to claim 1 wherein there is provided a handle for manual manipulation of the pick-up tube, the handle being arranged to support and move the pick-up tube, the end of the flexible hose and the collar attached thereto.
 9. The suction nozzle according to claim 8 wherein the handle is attached to the pick-up tube.
 10. The suction nozzle according to claim 8 wherein the handle is an elongate member with a grasping portion at an upper end which can be grasped to manoeuvre the pick-up tube, the end of the flexible hose and the collar attached to a lower end thereof over the ground.
 11. The suction nozzle according to claim 1 wherein the collar rests on the ground.
 12. The suction nozzle according to claim 1 wherein the mouth is formed at an angle to a radial plane of the axis of the pick-up tube.
 13. The suction nozzle according to claim 1 wherein the pick-up tube includes a portion projecting forwardly from the collar which has a length which is less than 18 inches and preferably less than 12 inches.
 14. A vacuum system comprising: a blower including a blower housing having an intake opening and a discharge opening with a rotor in the housing for transporting air and materials at the intake opening to the discharge opening; a flexible hose having an inner end connected to the intake opening and an outer end; a discharge duct connected to the discharge opening for transporting the materials to a collection zone; and a suction nozzle mounted on the outer end of the flexible hose comprising: a cylindrical collar connected to the outer end of the flexible hose, the collar being coaxial to the hose with a forward end of the collar located at or projecting forwardly from the end of the hose; a pick-up tube mounted within the collar so as to define a space between an inside surface of the collar at the forward end and an outside surface of the pick up tube with the space surrounding the pick-up tube through which air is drawn; the pick-up tube projecting forwardly from the forward end of the collar and having a forward end of the pick-up tube defining a mouth into which material to be picked up can be drawn to enter the pick-up tube to be transported by the hose to the blower for discharge to the collection zone.
 15. The vacuum system according to claim 14 wherein the pick-up tube forms a straight cylindrical member which is coaxial with the collar.
 16. The vacuum system according to claim 14 wherein the space is of constant width around the pick-up tube.
 17. The vacuum system according to claim 14 wherein there is provided a handle for manual manipulation of the pick-up tube, the handle being arranged to support and move the pick-up tube, the end of the flexible hose and the collar attached thereto.
 18. The vacuum system according to claim 17 wherein the handle is an elongate member with a grasping portion at an upper end which can be grasped to manoeuvre the pick-up tube, the end of the flexible hose and the collar attached to a lower end thereof over the ground with the collar resting on the ground.
 19. The vacuum system according to claim 14 wherein the mouth is formed at an angle to a radial plane of the axis of the pick-up tube.
 20. The vacuum system according to claim 14 wherein the pick-up tube includes a portion projecting forwardly from the collar which has a length which is less than 18 inches and preferably less than 12 inches. 